It reminded me that I had a similar article queued up in my blog drafts. This one may be even scarier for affiliate marketers when it comes to potential liability.

I see also Alan Bechtold has blogged about the pervasiveness and persistence of our online communications. A hastily crafted tweet written in frustration or misunderstanding can have you regretting it over and over as its replayed in cyberspace with each new search hit.

Having recently read the excellent Launch Your Own Affiliate Review Site Monopoly by fellow software developer and recognized expert on the topic, Stephen Carter, I was curious to hear what he had to say about the issue. I wrote him and he kindly provided the following commentary.

I think the average blogger, or online reviewer, is more likely to get struck by a car than get sued for anything they say online. But if you stick your neck out and say that some business is a scam, instead of saying that you feel like you got scammed by that business (big difference) then you make yourself liable for your comments.

Libel laws protect businesses and people from having damaging non factual information about them spread around. So to cover yourself, just don't assert anything you cannot prove. You can always get your message across if you have had a bad experience. You just have to frame it as an opinion. I don't think you can be sued for having an opinion, though you can still reap a lot of bad juju for announcing ideas that others find offensive.

Of course, that's the layman's approach to this issue. Lawyers always have the last word.

Like I said, I really respect Stephen, and encourage you to check out his thorough and cogent book, which also includes his review site software.

Himself a genius of sorts in the area human behavior, as it relates to marketing, and someone with something of a cult following, Ben was clearly pleased to have snagged such a big name for an ostensibly unscripted chat. If you don't know Mack, you'll want to check out his books, particularly, Think Two Products Ahead: Secrets the Big Advertising Agencies Don't Want You to Know and How to Use Them for Bigger Profits and Poker Without Cards: A Consciousness Thriller. He's always entertaining, even if—he might say, especially if—you don't agree with him.

Anyway, it really was a great call with a rewarding Q&A wrap-up. Robert gave several examples of how simple word choices can make all the difference in how well a product or idea takes hold in the minds of others, and how this translates into conversion numbers for the given campaign.

So, what's the experiment I want to try? Well, on the call, Ben Mack discussed the 'ole blog/forum publicity technique and revealed that he'd be adding Robert Cialdini to his Google Alerts in order to find folks like me. He'd then post a comment with a link to the call recording. If you missed it, my hope is, as one of my readers, you'll soon be privy to the replay. <fingers crossed.>

Robert Cialdini's new book, Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive

Here's what I'm reading as of this writing:

Your Internet Cash Machine: The Insiders Guide to Making Big Money, Fast! by Joe Vitale and Jillian Coleman Wheeler

You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way—and Live the Life You Want—with the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship by Cameron Johnson

How 'bout you?